VA BIRDers,
Rich Rieger, Marc Ribaudo and I linked up at Aquia Landing SP near sunrise
this morning. Reasonably birdy for the 2+ hrs we were there; Highlights
were the local Mute Swans, Tundra Swans, 1200 Gadwall, 60 Pied-billed
Grebes, 2 Common Loons, 3 Virginia Rails, 2 Forster's Terns, Brown Creeper,
8 Winter Wrens (outnumbering the Carolina Wrens), both kinglets, Hermit
Thrush, Gray Catbird, 3 Brown Thrashers, Common Yellowthroat, and Fox
Sparrow.
We next went to Prince William Forest Park with top species being
Red-breasted Nuthatch on the campground road off the loop road. Other
notables were YB Sapsucker, both kinglets, 16 Hermit Thrush in 2 hrs, and a
Gray Catbird also on the campground road.
We split up and Rich and I headed to Nokesville. No luck on Brewer's
Blackbird but we tallied another YB Sapsucker.
Next stop was Possum Point Road where we looked over waterfowl and where
Wood Ducks, a Wild Turkey flying over the road, and 2 Peregrine Falcons near
the power plant stacks were notable. There were the usual kinglets, Winter
Wren, and Hermit Thrush plus another 33 Pied-billed Grebes (our day tally
for the latter was 93).
We were heading home and made a stop at the northern overlook of Neabsco
Creek marsh and spotted a Northern Harrier as the sun was setting. We ended
the day at 82 species.
Kurt Gaskill
